Hopper door latching means



Oct. 22, 1957 G. E. DATH HOPPER DOOR LATCHING MEANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1954 mmvrox. 560595 Z1. flczZ/z, M

G. E. DATH HOPPER DOOR LATCHING MEANS Oct. 22, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29,' 1954 Oct. 22, 1957 G. E. DATH I 2,810,357

' HOPPER DOOR LATCHING MEANS Filed June 29, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

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Oct. 22, 1957 G. E. DATH HOPPER DOOR LATCHING MEANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 29, 1954 INVENTOR. 660 62. Dal/z,

Oct. 22, 1957 G. E. DATH HOPPER DOOR LATCHING MEANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 29, 1954 INVENTOR. fieo ge Z flaZ/z,

Oct. 22, 1957 G. E. DATH HOPPER DOOR LATCHING MEANS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 29, 1954 m m m m BY 5602:9615 fla/Zk,

United States Patent HOPPER DOOR LATCHING MEANS George E. Dath, Mokena, Ill., assignor to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, [1]., a corporation of Illinois Application June 29, 1954, Serial No. 440,015

14 Claims. (Cl. 105-308) This invention relates, generally, to hopper-structures and it has particular relation to latching means for doors that close the discharge openings at lower portions of such structures.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide for moving the door to the fully closed position in a simple and eflicient manner; to employ a swinging latch bar on the door and a shouldered hook on the hopper and to employ cooperating cam means between the latch bar and the door so that, as the latch bar moves parallel to the door along the shoulder of the hook, the door is moved to the fully closed position; and to provide the cam means at each end of the latch bar.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

This invention is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and it comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding'of the nature and scope of this invention reference can be had'to the. foln ice Figure 10 is a view, partly in section and partly in end elevation of the construction shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken generally along the line l111 of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a view, partly in end elevation and partly in section, of the portion of the door beam shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a view which shows an alternate end con struction for the door beam and latch bar at the pivot end; and

Figure 14 is a view, partly in end elevation and partly in section of the construction shown in Figure 13.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1-8 of the drawings and particularly to the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 thereof, it will be observed that the reference character 10 designates a centersill of a hopper type railway car and that the reference character lldesignates one side wall. Between the centersill 10 and side wall 11 there may be located one or more hoppers one of which is indicated, generally, at 12. It will be understood that one or more similar hoppers are located on the other side of the centersill 10.

The hopper 12 has a hopper discharge opening that is indicated, generally at 13 in Figure 4 of the drawings, the

1 hopper 12 being formed by an outer inclined side Wall 14,

lowing detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view, in side elevation, of a railway car hopper provided with a door that is arranged to be closed by a latch bar and related mechanism embodying this in vention;

Figure 2 is a view taken transversely of the car and showing the door and latching mechanism of Figure 1 in elevation;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view, similar to Figure 4, but showing the latch bar in the initial position where it in its downward movement cooperates with the inclined surface on the shouldered keeper for moving the door to the closed position;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the right hand end of the latch bar as shown in Figure 3 and showing its position when the latch bar is positioned as shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 5, but showing the latch bar beginning its movement along the shoulder of the keeper parallel to the door with the camming action of the latch bar being continued to move the door to the fully closed position;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 88 of Figure 2 and showing the arrange ment of the shouldered keeper with the latch bar in the fully closed position;

Figure 9 is a view, in front elevation, of a modification of the door beam and latch bar which can be employed in practicing this invention;

an inner vertical side wall 15, an upper inclined floor 16 and a lower inclined floor 17. Surrounding the hopper opening 13 thus'formed is a frame, shown generally at 18, that is generally stirrup shaped and has a T-shaped cross section. It may be secured to the hopper side walls and lower floor by rivets 19 or by welding as may be desired. A top frame member 20 extends across the ends of the frame 18 and it is secured to the upper inclined floor 16, as shown in Figure 2, by rivets 21 or it may be welded as will be understood. Hinge butts 22 project outwardly from the top frame member 20 and hinge pins 23 extend therethrough for carrying hinges 24 that are secured by rivets 25 to a door that is shown, generally, at 26. The door 26 is arranged to close the hopper opening 13. The present invention has to do particularly with means for latching the door 26 in the closed position and for moving it from a partly closed to a fully closed position. i

As shown more clearly in Figure 8 of the drawings the door 26 is provided with a central opening 30 near the swinging edge through which a nose portion 31 of a shouldered hook shaped latching element or keeper 32 projects. The keeper 32 includes a base portion 33 that can be secured by rivets 34 to the lowermost portion of the frame 18 and to the lower inclined floor 17. The keeper 32 has an inclined runway 35 on the forward side of the nose portion 31 for cooperating with the underside of a latch bar, shown generally at 36, to lift it automatically as the door 26 is swung toward the closed position. On the rear side of the nose portion 31 is an inclined surfaces 37 over which the lower front edge of the latch bar 36 slides in camming the door 26 toward the fully closed position. At the lowermost end of the inclined surface 37 is shoulder 38 on theback side of the nose portion 31 which is generally parallel to the plane of the door 26 when it is closed. The front side of the latch bar 36 rides over this shoulder 38 during the final downward movement of the latch bar 36 for camming the door 26 to the fully closed position. It will be observed that the nose portion 31 of the keeper 32 has an upwardly opening notch 39, defined on itsforward side by the shoulder 38, into which the latch bar 36 moves when it is actuated downwardly to effect the final closing movement of the door 26.

tween the latch bar 36 and the door 26 over that which is provided in the operation of the latch bar 36 downwardly over the inclined surfacet 37. Through the cooperation between the latch bar 36 and the inclined surface '37 "it is possible to camthe door'26 towardpthejclosed. position. For example in one construction which has beenemployed this movement of :thedoor 26 with the latch bar 36 at the upper edge of the inclined surface 37 as shown in Figure to the. lower edge or .into engagement with the upper portion of the shoulder 38 is inch. In accordance with the present invention it is possible to obtain additional camrning action between the latch bar 36 and the door 26 while the former is being moved downwardly over the shoulder 38.

In order to accomplish this additional camming action the latch bar 36 is pivoted at 40 on a door beam, shown generally at 41,-'which extends along the swinging edge of the door 26 and is secured thereto by rivets 42. The pivoted end of the latch bar 36, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 is provided with radially oppositely extending arms 43 that may be formed integrally therewith and which are arranged to cooperate with oppositely inclined surfaces 44 on earns 45 which are formed integrally with the door beam 41, it being understood that the lower cam 45 has itssurface 44 inclined oppositely from that shown in Figure 3.

pivot 40 parallel to the plane of the door 26. In so doing and as the arms 43 ride over the oppositely inclined surfaces 44 to the position shown in Figure 3 while the latch bar 36 is moving downwardly over the shoulder 38, the door 26 is cammed to the fully closed position. In the particular construction described hereinbefore this final camming movement may be of the order of inch. Thus, as the latch bar 36 is moved from the position as shown in Figure 5 to the fully closed position as shown in Figure 4, the door 26 is cammed through an extent about equal to 1 inch (under the stated conditions inch).

It is desirable that the other end of the latch bar 36 be guided for movement at an angle to the plane of the door 26. For this purposespaced walls 48 and 49 are formed integrally with the door beam 41 forming therebetween a space 50 in which an inclined portion 51 of the latch bar 36 is guided while the central portion is being moved downwardly over the inclined surface 37 and the shoulder 38. a

A fulcrum boss 53 can be formed integrally with the upper end of the wall 49 for receiving one end of a removable bar which can be employed in levering the latch bar 36 to or from the latched position. A rivet 56 extends through the fulcrum boss 53 and through the upper ends of the walls 48 and 49 for rockably mounting a locking dog 57 the central portion .58 of which is parallel to the plane of the door 26. The looking dog-57 has an inclined outer portion 59 for interfitting with the space .50 defined between the inclined walls 48 and 49. Then it is possible to swing the locking dog .57 from its position shown by full lines in Figure 4 to the alternate locked position as shown by the broken lines in this figure. Formed integrally with the locking dog 57 is a boss 60 under which the removable operating bar can be placed for prying the locking dog 57 out of the locked position. Also the boss 60 is employed in conjunction with the removable operating .bar for prying the locking dog 57 into the locked position.

In operation, when th latch bar 36 is to be moved from the latched position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, the removable .bar is first positioned underneath the boss 60 and on top of the fulcrum boss 53 and is operated to unlock the dog 57 and move it out of the path of the inclined portion 51 of the latch bar 36. Then the latch bar is positioned underneath the shoulder 52 on the outer end of the latch bar 36 and on top of the fulcrum boss 53. Upward movement of the outer end of the removable bar then causes upward movement of The latch bar 36 swings about the l the latch bar 36 out of the notch 39 in the keeper 32. As the inclined portion 51 of the latch bar 36 moves upwardly while the central portion is still in engagement with the shoulder 38 and while the arms 43 are moving downwardly relatively over the oppositely inclined surfaces 44, for example as shown in Figure 6, the door 26 is permitted to swing slightly to the open position through the extent indicated until the central portion of the latch bar 36 beginsto move over the inclined surface 37 at which time further opening movement of the door 26 is permitted. When the latch bar 36 is moved upwardly so as to clear the rear surface of the nose portion 31, the door 26 then is free to swing to the full open position.

When the door 26 is to be closed, it is first made certain that the locking dog 57 is in the unlocked position as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 7 of the drawings. Then the door 26 is swung or kicked to the closed position. The underside of the latch bar 37 engages the outermost portion of the inclined runway 35 and islifted automatically as the door 26 continues to swing to the closed position. When the lower forward edge of the latch bar 36 reaches the upper edge of the inclined surface 37 further movement of'the door 26 in the closing direction usually ceases. Then the operating bar is positioned underneath the fulcrum boss 53 and on top of the shoulder 52 and the outer end is moved downwardly in order to lever the latch bar 36 downwardly about the pivot 40. The position at the beginning of this downward movement of the latch bar 36 is shown in Figure 5. When the latch bar 36 has traversed the inclined surface 37 the door 26 will have been further closed to the extent indicated. Further downward movement of the operating bar carries with it the latch bar 36 and its front side slides downwardly over the shoulder 38 of the keeper 32. Because of the cooperation between the arms 43 with the inclined surfaces 44 and the cooperation of the inclined portion 51 of the latch bar 36 with the inclined wall 48, the door 26 is cammed to the fully closed position through the extent previously indicated.

Then the locking dog 57 is swung to the locked position in order to prevent accidental disengagement of the latch bar 36 from the keeper. 32. i

A modified construction is illustrated in Figures 9-14 of the drawings. This construction employs a door beam 61,. corresponding to the door beam 41, above referred to,.which is secured in position on the front side of the door 26 by rivets 62. A latch bar, shown generally at 63, is carried by the door beam 61 and is arranged to cooperate with the keeper 32 for camming the door 26 to the final closed position. In particular the intermediate portion 64 of the latch bar 63 cooperates with the inclined runway 35, inclined surface 37 and shoulder 38 of the keeper 32.

As shown more clearly in Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings the pivoted end portion 65 of the latch bar 63 is skewed with respect to the intermediate section 64 and is pivotally mounted by a rivet 66 which is angularly positioned with respect to the plane of the door 26 and may extend through walls 67 and 68 formed integrally with the door beam 61 and likewise having surfaces inclined, for example, at an angle of 12 away from the plane of the door 26 in order to accommodate the skewed end portion 65.

The other end portion 69 of the latch bar 63 is similarly skewed for movement, as shown in Figure 10, between inclined walls 70 and 71 that are formed integrally with the door beam 61.

A shoulder 72 is provided on the other end portion 69 ofthe latch bar 63 corresponding to the shoulder 52 on the latch bar 36 previously described.

In operation when the latch bar 63 is moved downwardly over the inclined surface 37, the door 26 is cammed toward the closed position through the extent which may be that previously indicated. During the final downward movement of the latch bar 63 over the shoulder 38 the door 26 is cammed to the fully closed position as the result of the cooperation between the skewed end portion 69 and the cooperating surface of the wall 70. Since the skewed pivoted end portion 65 of the latch bar 63 performs no camming action with respect to the walls 67 and 68, the extent of movement of the door 26 employing the construction shown in Figures 9-12 is half that which is obtained using the construction as shown in Figures 1-8 where both ends of the latch bar 36 cooperate to perform the camming action.

Figures 13 and 14 show a modification of the mounting for the latch bar 63. It will be observed here that the end portion 73 of the latch bar 63 is a continuation of the intermediate section 64 and that it is pivoted on a rivet 74 which extends through walls 75 and 76 that are formed integrally with the door beam 61 and are parallel to the plane of the door 26. Spherical bosses 77 can be formed integrally with or welded onto the end portion 73 of the latch bar 63 to permit limited universal movement with respect to the rivet 74 and the Walls 75 and 76. The rivet 74 extends through an opening 78 in the end portion 73 which has flared ends 79 to accommodate this limited universal movement.

An important difference between the movement of the latch bar 36 shown in Figures 1-8 and the movement of the latch bar 63 in the embodiment shown in Figures 9-14 is that in the former the latch bar moves parallel to the plane of the door 26 about a pivot which extends at right angles thereto while in the latter the latch bar moves in a plane which is inclined slightly to the plane of the door 26.

Since certain changes can be made in the foregoing construction and different embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter shown in the accompanying drawings and described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door hinged adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door in cluding a shouldered hook-shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper, a latch bar pivotally mounted on said door for engaging with the shoulder of said latching element, and cam means and guide means stationarily mounted on said door adjacent the pivot portion and the swinging portion of said latch bar respectively and cooperating with said portions of said latch bar to move said door to closed position during the time that said latch bar is moved along said shoulder.

2. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door hinged adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook-shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper, with the shoulder extending generally parallel to said door in closed position, a latch bar pivotally mounted on said door for engaging said shoulder and having cam means at its pivot portion and guide means at its swinging portion, and cam means and guide means stationarily mounted on said door in operative relation to said cam means and guide means respectively on said latch bar for cooperating therewith as said. latch bar-is moved along said shoulder to move said door to closed position.

3. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door hinged adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook-shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the shoulder extending generally parallelto the door iri closed position, a latching bar pivotally mounted at one end on said door for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, and cam means and guide means stationarily mounted on said door adjacent the pivot end and the swinging end of said latch bar respectively for cooperating with cam means and guide means on said ends of said latch bar as the latter is moved along said shoulder to move said door to closed position.

4. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door hinged adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook-shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the shoulder extending generally parallel to the door in closed position, a latching bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door and pivotally mounted at one end on said door for movement generally parallel thereto and bodily movable toward and away therefrom for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, and cam means and guide means stationarily mounted on said door at the ends of said latching bar and cooperating therewith to move the same outwardly relative to said door and thereby said door inwardly to closed position on movement of said latch bar along said'shoulder.

5. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door and pivotally mounted at one end on said door for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, and cam means and guide means at the ends of said latch bar cooperating therewith to move the same outwardly relative to said door and thereby said door inwardly to closed position on downward movement of said latch bar along said shoulder.

6. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door and pivotally mounted at one end on said door for movement generally parallel thereto and bodily movable toward and away therefrom for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, cam means stationarily mounted on said door at the pivot end of said latch bar, cam follower means on said latch bar for cooperating with said cam means, and guide means carried by said door and cooperating with the other end of said latch bar, the cooperation between said cam means and said cam follower means and between said guide means and said latch bar being such that when the latter is moved downwardly along said shoulder said latch bar is moved outwardly relative to said door and thereby said door is moved inwardly to closed position.

7. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door and pivotally mounted at one end on said door for movement generally parallel thereto and bodily movable toward and away therefrom for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, cam means stationarily mounted on said door at the pivot end of said latch bar, cam follower means on said latch bar for cooperating with said cam means, and guide means carried by said door comprising a pair of spaced walls defining a space inclined with respect to said door for guiding the other end of said latch bar, that portion of said latch bar interfitting between said walls being correspondingly inclined, the cooperation between said cam means and said cam follower means and between said guide means and said latch bar being such that when the latter is moved downwardly along said shoulder said latch bar is moved outwardly relative to said door and thereby said door is moved inwardly. to closed position.

8. In combinationwith a hopper structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching element.

stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door and pivotally mounted at one end on said door for movement generally parallel thereto and bodily movable toward and away therefrom for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, cam means stationarily mounted on said door at the pivot end of said latch bar, cam follower means on said latch bar for cooperating with said cam means, guide means carried by said door comprising a pair of spaced walls defining a space inclined with respect to said door for guiding the other end of said latch bar, that portion of said latch bar interfitting between said walls being. correspondingly inclined, the cooperation between said cam means and said cam follower means and between said guide means and said latch bar being such that when the latter is moved downwardly along said shoulder said latching bar is moved outwardly relative to saiddoor and thereby said door is moved inwardly to closed position, and a locking dog pivotally mounted on said door and swingable into said space between said walls to lock said latch bar in the closed position.

9. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching element stationariiy carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge oi said door and pivotally mounted at one end'on' said door for movement generally parallel thereto and bodily movable toward and away therefrom for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder. of said latching element, guide means carried by said door comprising a pair of: spaced walls defining a space inclined with respect to said door for guiding the other end of said latch bar, that portion of said latch bar interfitting between said walls being correspondingly inclined, the cooperationbe tween said cam means and said cam follower means and between said guide means and said latch bar being such that when the latter is moved downwardly along said shoulder said latch bar is moved outwardly relative to said door and thereby said door is moved inwardly to closed position, and a locking dog pivotally mounted on said door to swing about an" axis perpendicular thereto, said locking dog being inclined to said door to swinginto said space between said walls to lock said latch barin the closed position.

7 10; In combination with a hopper structure having an openingand a door pivotally mountedadjacent the upper side ofsaid opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door and pivotally mounted at one end on said door for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, and guide means comprising a pair of spaced walls defining a space inclined with respect to said door for guiding the other end of said latch bar, that portion of said latch bar interfitting between said walls being correspondingly inclined, the cooperation between said guide means 'and said latch bar being such that when the latter is moved downwardly along said shoulder said latch bar is moved outwardly relative to said door and the same is moved inwardly to closed position and vice versa.

11. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching. element stationarily'carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door and pivotally mounted at one end on said door for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, guide means comprising a pair of spaced walls defining a space inclined with respect to said door for guidingthe otherend of said latch bar, that portion of said latch bar interfitting between said walls being correspondingly inclined, the cooperation between said guide means and said latch bar being such that when the latter is moved downwardly along said shoulder said latch bar is moved outwardly relative to said door and the same is moved inwardly to closed position and vice versa, and a locking dog pivotally mounted on said door and swingable into said space between said walls to lock said latch bar in the closed position.

12. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper side of said openingto assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate itsends with the hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, means pivotally mounting one end of said latch bar for non-coplanar movement with respect to said door, and guide means comprising a pair of spaced walls defining a space inclined with respect to said door for guiding the other end of said latch bar, that portion of said latch bar interiitting between said walls being correspondingly inclined, the cooperation between said guide means'and said latch bar being such that when the latter is moved downwardly along said shoulder said latch bar is moved outwardly relative to said door and the same is moved inwardly to closed position.

13. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with a hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door for engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said 9 latching element, means pivotally mounting one end of said latch bar for movement about an axis at an acute angle away from said door, and guide means comprising a pair of spaced walls defining a space inclined with respect to said door for guiding the other end of said latch bar, that portion of said latch bar interfitting between said walls being correspondingly inclined, the cooperation between said guide means and said latch bar being such that when the latter is moved downwardly along said shoulder said latch bar is moved outwardly relative to said. door and the same is moved inwardly to closed position.

14. In combination with a hopper structure having an opening and a door pivotally mounted adjacent the upper side of said opening to assume an open pendant position and swingable therefrom to an inclined closed position, latching means adjacent the swinging edge of said door including a shouldered hook shaped latching element stationarily carried by said hopper intermediate its ends with the hook opening upwardly, a latch bar extending generally parallel to said swinging edge of said door for 10 engaging intermediate its ends with the shoulder of said latching element, means pivotally mounting one end of said latch bar for limited universal movement with respect to said door, and guide means comprising a pair of spaced walls defining a space inclined with respect to said door for guiding the other end of said latch bar, that portion of said latch bar interfitting between said walls being correspondingly inclined, the cooperation between said guide means and said latch bar being such that when the latter is moved downwardly along said shoulder said latch bar is moved outwardly relative to said door and the same is moved inwardly to closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 312,357 Kinzer Feb. 17, 1885 1,538,965 Allen et a1. May 26, 1925 2,011,470 Campbell Aug. 13, 1935 

